A very green rollercoaster

GREEN BAY (BASN) — It’s a roller coaster ride for the Green Bay Packers and a wild one at that.

If there’s an indication that triumphs and trials come in threes, then the Packers are wearing the shoe that fits.

They won their first three games, lost the next three and are currently on another three-game winning streak.What’s impressive about this streak are the teams they beat.Two of them were in the AFC and NFC Championship games last season.

Minnesota and the New York Jets were on the wrong end of their defeat to the Packers.Detroit was just another doormat for the Pack in their loss.

The talk about Green Bay being Super Bowl contenders was hushed with humiliation after losing to Chicago, Miami and Washington.The Packers had control of the games against the Dolphins and Redskins, only to lose them in overtime.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after their 45-7 humiliation of Dallas at home that each player had to reach down inside to right the ship.The players who looked in the mirror saw a reflection of themselves that they didn’t like, so they did something about it, and that’s why they lead the NFC Central by half a game.

It was good for the Packers to go into their bye week with a win.They better enjoy it while they can because the last two months of their schedule gets tougher.

Minnesota, Brett Favre in particular, wants revenge when the two teams meet Nov. 21 in the Metrodome.Atlanta will be waiting for the Pack Thanksgiving weekend.At least three of their last five games in December and January are at home.

If everything plays out right, the Packers and the Bears game in January could determine the division championship.If the Vikings get on a hot streak down the stretch, the division could be up for grabs.

Meanwhile, the Packers are building around younger players and walking the older ones out the door of 1265 Lombardi Avenue.

Veteran cornerback Al Harris was the latest example to walk through those doors.Who’s next, Donald Driver?They’re both over 30 years old.The emergence of rookie cornerback Sam Shields made Harris expendable.

Nov. 8 was the day the team had to add Harris to the roster or waive him.Harris spent the first six weeks of the season on the physically unable to perform list.He was eligible to practice after Week 6.

Harris said he was ready to play.When safety Atari Bigby was activated before the Dallas game and Harris wasn’t, the writing was on the wall.

A player of his caliber realizes that at the end of the day, what you did in the past doesn’t matter.Harris’ season-ending knee injury and surgery made him damaged goods.

In this business, it isn’t about what you did in the past as a player; it’s about asking what have you done lately?

It was reported that Harris wasn’t getting his starting job back, and he didn’t want to play nickel back either.Can you blame him?Head coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson were up front with Harris.

He didn’t fit into their plans in the near future.

In the coming weeks, it would be a miracle if Green Bay can patch together a team that can stay injury-free and run the tables en route to the playoffs.If not, heads should roll at the end of the season, starting with the general manager on down.